W is for...Where Has The Time Gone?

I can't believe I've been here almost nine months already! Time sure does fly. The question that has been going around is: "If you knew then what you know now, would you have signed the contract?" My answer? Probably not. My first thought was I wish I'd known the whole truth about the struggles we'd face here. But then, I think, nah. I'm glad I wasn't told. Where I was mentally and spiritually a year ago, I wouldn't have signed up for more struggles. I was already struggling. God knew what He was doing. He knew I'd chicken out and not go.

I do not regret my move. I'm taking it all in, the good with the bad. I'm at a wonderful place in my life. Everything that has happened while here in Abu Dhabi is contributing to God's molding and transforming me. I'm not the same person I was a year ago. I'm better. Stronger. I've stepped out of my comfort zone and survived! Being outside of my zone isn't as bad as I thought. It's actually exhilarating. 


Nine months. Wow. I'm so looking forward to whatever these next 15 months will hold for me.

And now for some Arabic vocabulary...

wahed - one

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Today Is My 6-Month Anniversary!

Yep, that's right! Six months ago, I set foot on Middle Eastern soil for the first time in my life. I felt so many emotions at that time: fear, excitement, disbelief, and homesickness were most prevalent. I had absolutely no idea what God had in store for me. I just knew He led me here and I had to follow.

I've experienced many ups and downs in my first six months, but I must say, I do not regret following God. Honestly, my ups outweigh my downs. Or maybe it's just the outlook I chose to take. I'd decided to focus on the positives and not dwell on the negatives. I won't whine or stress when I experience rough patches cos I know it's the patches that will mold me into a powerfully victorious woman of God.

God has truly brought me a looooong way since this time last year. I'm so grateful He chose me to go on this journey. I've swam in the gorgeous waters, stayed in 5-star hotels, gone to awesome concerts, moved to a high-rise apartment (rent-free), bought things I'd originally couldn't afford, gone to Dubai several times, visited the tallest building in the world, rode on a camel, made some wonderful new friends, learned a little Arabic...and that's only in my first six months! There's no telling what God has in store for me the next six months. Whatever it is, I'm right there with Him, letting Him guide me, going wherever He tells me to go!

Here's to six more months (and more) full of awesomeness!

 

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I SURVIVED!

So, the first trimester is over. I'm back in Houston, relaxing and spending time with my family and friends who I've missed SO much!

All in all, I've enjoyed my first trimester as an AD LT (Licensed Teacher). There were challenges - and at one point I did think about moving back to the States - but overall, I'm glad I made the decision to move. I've been on a desert safari, to Dubai (several times), saw both Janet Jackson AND Sade in concert, not to mention I'm in a high rise apartment (rent-free), and making a tax-free salary. And my students are awesome. And I've met some wonderful people (both Westerners & Arabic).

I wonder what will next trimester bring? I know two things definite: I'm going to Morocco (March) & my mother's coming to visit me (April). I can't wait to see what else!

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Friday Fragments: Episode #3

Friday Fragments is hosted by "Mrs. Fours" at Half Past Kissin Time. Wanna join in on the fun? Check it out here. Basically, you take bits and pieces of your week and list them on your blog. The bits and pieces would each be too small for a regular blog post, but put together, they make Friday Fragments.

Since I missed last Friday, I'm doubling up in this post.

LAST WEEK

• Sometimes, less really is more. Last weekend, I visited the emirate of Al Gharbia, about 2.5 hours away from Abu Dhabi. We stayed at a beach resort surrounded by beach & mostly desert. There was absolutely nothing to do in Al Gharbia...and that was just what I needed. The beach was...it took my breath away. I stayed in the water for hours. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so here ya go!

• On the way to Al Gharbia, my friend and I traveled on a bus full of men. There were only 4 women. Thank God for priority seating. The women sat up front near the bus driver. Could've been an uncomfortable situation.
• At some clubs, when they say they have a band, they really mean they have karaoke singers. They're not what we in the States would think a band is, but they are good.
• When they say one hour here in the UAE, they really mean, two, three, four hours. Time really isn't an issure here. Their favorite saying is "Inshallah" (Allah willing). Their attitude is "It will happen when it happens, Inshallah."
• Some of the men here are aggressive. Sometimes, not in a good way, but in a creepy, stalkerish kind of way.
• My Arabic partner was on bed rest for 2 days last week. This meant I was left in a classroom full of 3-4 year olds...alone. Did I mention they don't speak English? Cos they don't. They speak Arabic. Very interesting, I must say. But I survived.
• Speaking of school, I've learned that I LOVE fog days. When it's foggy here, the bus drivers won't drive. They wait until it lifts, then go pick up the kids. This means, school gets a late start. And we still get to end on time. Yeah, fog days are awesome.
• Saw a belly dancer perform last week. I thought she was ok, but I've never seen a performance before. Those who have weren't impressed with her. The men liked it tho, so she did her job. Watching her perform DID make me realize I really want to learn how to belly dance. Put that on my list of must do's while in the Middle East.

THIS WEEK

• Just cos we're a brand new school doesn't mean we won't have our share of difficulties. The ac didn't work in our classrooms this week, which is not good considering the fact that it's like a gazillion degrees here. We also don't have materials or resources nor do we have enough teachers. But we make do with what we have.
• Our apartment building won't have gas for another year or so. At least that's what we've been told. This sucks cos most of us bought gas stoves. Wish they'd have told us BEFORE we spent the money. Some people are having a hard time returning their stoves. Thankfully, the store I bought mine from is letting me return so I can buy an electric stove. God is good!
• Getting our UAE ID and drivers license has been...interesting. Thankfully, I'm almost done with the process. Then I'll really be official with my residence visa, ID, and DL.
• They have so many malls here! Seems like one on every corner. And these malls aren't little either. I'm talking about big elaborate malls. We're even getting a mall built RIGHT NEXT DOOR to our apartment building. Like I can seriously walk to the mall. Now that I think about it, that may not be such a good thing. Easier shopping access...more ways to spend money. Hmmm....
• Just like any other country, they have an issue with equal rights here. Classism is big. The Filipinos, who are considered the lowest class, are treated the worse. It's sad really, but it happens. Not just in the UAE, but everywhere. The more money you have, the more power you have. Sounds familar? They're really more "westernized" than they'd like to admit.
• Speaking of power and importance, the license plate tags reflect their statuses. The lower the number you have on your tags, the more power you have. The lowest number I've seen was 10. And the car was a niiiice Bentley. Must be nice.
• What about those Houston Texans!!!!! 3-1 record so far. I can't watch the football games, but I've been following what's been going on. Keep it up!
• So sad about Steve Jobs. RIP
• Last but certainly not least...I'M GOING TO SEE JANET JACKSON PERFORM IN FIVE DAYS!!!!! That's right. She'll be here in Abu Dhabi and I get to be there. In the fan pit. Close to the stage. I. Can't. Wait.

 

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Friday Fragments: Episode #1

Friday Fragments is hosted by "Mrs. Fours" at Half Past Kissin Time. Wanna join in on the fun? Check it out here. Basically, you take bits and pieces of your week and list them on your blog. The bits and pieces would each be too small for a regular blog post, but put together, they make Friday Fragments.

So, on to my Friday Fragments...

* Obama is well-liked here in Abu Dhabi. I'd venture to say they love him. Sometimes, when replying that I'm from America, the first thing they'd say is, "Oooh! Obama! He's a good man. I like Obama."

* There are no street names here which makes getting around kinda hard for a newbie. It's all about landmarks. Now, what happens if the landmark is taken down, I have NO idea.

* Driving here is gonna be a challenge. Besides the fact that they have no street names, they have these roundabouts that seem impossible to figure out. And then, some of the people here drive absolutely CRAZY. Really. I've rode in taxis where we had to hold on for dear life. And we've had several close calls.

* They like speed bumps. They're everywhere. Seriously. No exaggeration. I mean, I understand being about safety and all, but EVERYWHERE?

* I have keys for everything in my apartment. Every room has a key. Even my living room and kitchen. So weird. My fridge has a key, my nightstands, dresser, vanity, and wardrobe (like a moveable closet) all have keys.

* The outside of my windows are dirty. I'd clean them, but alas, I can't. Not unless I wanna fall nine stories to my death. Nope. Windows will stay dirty. I wonder if they'll have window cleaners. Hmm...

Well, that's it for my first Friday Fragments.

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Busy Busy Busy - Part Dos

Remember that advance I mentioned a few weeks ago? We got it last Saturday. YAY! I must admit, any bank accounts I've had in the past have NEVER looked that good. And this will pretty much be a normal occurance (my account looking good, I mean). They deposited the advance as well as the furniture allowance. Needless to say, it was time to do some shopping. Who knew furniture shopping could be so draining! Going to different stores, pricing the items, trying to bargain with the dealers...more work than I thought it would be. I decided I wasn't going to go to a lot of different stores for shopping. I've gotten my furniture/appliances at 3 stores...each offering something pleasing to me. So I'm happy. This was definitely a lesson in bargaining. I watched one of my friends do her thing, talking the store owners down from the original price. Of course, I made mental notes. Those mental notes came in handy when it came time for me to talk the owner at the final store down. I was able to bargain my way down to 1500 dirhams ($400 USD) cheaper than what he offered. Thanks KaLinda!

I now have what I need as far as furniture and appliances are concerned. I've decided not to furnish my whole apartment right now. Since it's just me, I can take my time. Now, all I need are the little stuff like dishes, bathroom decorations, towels, pots/pans, etc. I went on and bought a real mattress...not just a cheap one. I have never splurged on a mattress before, so this will be my 1st nice one. Everything will be delivered by next week. Then my apartment will be move in ready. Of course, I'll miss this five-star hotel and the awesome treatment, but I'm happy I can move into my apartment.

The schools here are a bit different than in the US. They have KG1 (like US preschool), KG2 (Kindergarten), Cycle 1 (1st - 5th grade), Cycle 2 (6th - 9th), and Cycle 3 (10th - 12th). I found out I will more than likely be teaching KG. Not sure which one, KG1 or KG2, or whether I'll be teaching both. This should be interesting. I am so not a Kinder teacher. And KG 1? Three - Four year olds? They're so little! But wherever God puts me, I'll be ok. I'll adapt. The awesome thing about KG is (1) all KG LTs (Licensed Teachers) are partnered with a KG Arabic teacher and (2) their days are shorter than Cycle 1 - Cycle 3 teachers. Sweet! I pray God blesses me with a partner teacher I'm going to bond with. Someone who will be helpful and awesome. And who will teach me Arabic. I want to be friends with my partner teacher, not just coworkers.

I'm going to tell you the truth. I definitely see God's favor upon me since I've moved here. Don't believe me? Here's my evidence:

• I was blessed to be on one airlines for the duration of my flight to Abu Dhabi. Many people ended up having to switch airlines at one point, thus having to pay more baggage fees. I didn't. One airline flight and only $50 fee cos one of my bags went over the 50lb limit. Plus, we only had one layover that lasted less than an hour.
• Besides being absolutely gorgeous, the hotel my group (group 2) was put in has free internet for the teachers. If I'm not mistaken, we're the only group out of the 3 that has free internet access the whole time we're here.
• I got the keys to my apartment three days after my arrival. There are people who are still waiting to know where they're gonna live.
• They told us singles were gonna have 1-bedroom apartments. Mine? 2-bedrooms.
• I found out that not only is my school new, but it's also only about a 10-minute drive from my apartment. There are teachers who will have to make a 30-40 minute drive to work everyday. And they're school may not be a new one.

These are just a few examples. Why has God chosen to shower His favor down on me? I have NO idea. But I praise Him for it. No matter what comes my way during my time in Abu Dhabi, I'm ready for it...good or bad. I have chosen not to complain about anything nor will I worry about the challenges. I'm not here just to be here. I'm here for a purpose. My focus will be on God, who will in turn help me stay on that purposeful journey. I have many lessons to learn...some easy, some hard, but it's all for building my character.

The first day for teachers is this Sunday. We're supposed to get our official school letters and maybe meet our principals. I'm so excited about this school year. I will keep y'all posted!

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